Foldable liquid container



March 23, 1954 v. H. HAssELQUlsT 2,372,904

Y FOLDABLE LIQUID `CONTAINER Filed April 1, 195o www zwi-nim Patented Mar. 23, 1954 y z ,isvaoon/ o uomini-.commen f Victorin; Hasselquisc Akron,..ohin,' assignnr. tu' The B; F. GoodriclgComp'any, New York, NYY.; ai corporation loflffew York nppncannnnmii; 195o,;seris1nos1sa.cisi

z claims.. (o1. 115.04435."-Y

Thisinventionirelates. to' aeioldable liquid.. conf. tainer which is. portab1ein nature.`

Itis.I an object ofY this: inventionhto: provide. a foldable container having partial-ly self-supporting sidewalls.

It .isalsoi .an vobjectv to provide. suchi .acontainer haring.y a. sidewall which Apartialiggp.liquid|` snp ported. f

It is an object to pizcwidefaav container which may be. foldedIw-hen. empty fand-.may .beacarried by- ;means; of -handles..when1led.

Other. objectsw-i11.bef apparenty fromy .the de.` scription' and drawing;whiclrfollow6 Theseffobjects.arefattained by n i-alringffy a liquid container by ai dipping; process wherein. a form. civ-.thee desi-redA shane. .is dipped -in..;.a.. rubber. latex. or :other similar-,.materialg. to: v.':lerlosit thereon. ai layer of coagulu-m. .In general,- the"container` comprises a base of the desired shape.-,pr-eferzanblt` circular in form andv ai-sidevia1l-having a. oonguration: which resul-ts.l inv a. partially selisunporting wall..

'Ifo-illustrate the invention;n1o1'e,.clearly. V a de scription. of one embodimentwill.. .be 4.g-iven.- with: ref erence tothe accompanying.,drawingimwhicm Fig.. 1. is.. a-perspeotivea .View showing, a.. liquidg. container.V constructed accordance-2y *Witt-i.;l the.` invention;

Eig. 2'- is. aside alteration.y oi`v a. .liquidelled conf tainery partially` brokena/wayf and'. :ln-Section5,

Fig. ...3% is. a'. sider elevationpartly..broken away( and. in section 'showing' thefformimmersedin latex., during the-.depositionrzstem Eig. 4 y.is a, :sectional View.. lof `para of: the form.- showing in detail thegpins which holdtheffhan die reinforcementsin `,place .on-the .-form.;

Fig. `5 is.. a .cross-,sectionon eli-ne .Ii-5. .oi Fig...4;.

In the drawings, numeral.r.l..l-.designates the. bottom of. the. container; and :numeral I2. .design y nates the lower. portion.. of. the -sidewall. vlf3-ad. jacent the .bottom of the.,.contxa,inerf.v Tl'helower-v ];1or.tion.i21 of the sidewall.. t3.. normally: lies. flat. over themargin of. bottoxzn-I I-- yof container. `Ili- When.. the container .is.empty. asshown-fin. Fig. l.

When the containerwis ruled.i with,A liquid ras;- Eig., y.2 the angle `.betvsleen thebottom --Ifl .andI the lower. sidewall..portion.A ...1.2% is. .increased .tov Ifrom- 208 .to .60?. Thef-lowensidewall-LZ .anglesuinwan ly` so that, it .extends ,over theabettomemember Ill'N .111e upper-portion. I,5.f.ofA thefsidewallflfthen. angles. outwardly. `so that-itl; liesfover the.. lower; [1191?.- islswll m1# pins 25, 25 provide a..meansA vof positioning the 2 the` lower `sidewall I and..l upper lsidexrr-all i5! ranges :fromaboutifi9 'to about. 139 depending` upon the arnoun-tof .liqnidiin the=-container;v Se..` cured to the upper. portion I- oi sidewall I3 are the reinforced;hand-lesv it. IJ'. v

In Eig.f3 a dipping form IBf-is shown supported in the.;` dipping .posi-tion. by!v arodf, t9; The form I8 is shaped asfshowniwith-ftlie upper surfaceA i;. e-. that part upon which. is--..iormed thevv lsmttoxanv I,I ofthe;container-Hin benigni-cular Withfalat. conical cross-section. The iform :Iiiis.. prc'erfv ably inverted when clippedA to: assure provision.` of a uniform. depositofeoagu-lumon thenform.; The conical :congurationof theform I8 facil-if.

f tates removal .of thel form ffliomlftneflatex aand.:

in addition it isffoundto promote: acuniiorm-.dewposit which is free.V of ami` globules-:or runsof" latex.

, The; sidewalls ofA -theiorn'rfta :have".fintesfp2l;,. 22k which run vertically and, fsubstantiallfyparallel'. one to another; On the.I sidewalls- ;o theform-` are.- secured pinsv 22', 2:2 which farespacedlvapart'; two; pairs being placed.- on each. of. ther.. ni1z1-osita sides-of form I.:8,. to hold thereinforcements 2.3;. 2li.V for thezhandlesv'l', I-If inplace wlalilcfzrthecmi--` tainer I4- isbeing;fornmad'..l Azsmallz-pin. 2.5 fisrrse'` cured to the formi-t8 andizpositioncdmetweem eachfof the` pairsaof;-pins-22tshownsinfliigs. aand; 6. Pins. 259,25 arefdesignedftotspace the? handle nreinforcernentl `2 Airont the. .sidewall lof." the .formA .I-8. vSince rthe handle: reinforcements-- 23;,` .2 filaire; spaced fromthezncontainerorm im; the.. dipping; solution sinronndsthehanlereinforce. ments. 23, 24, whenrthefiorm lrfis immersedfas: shownfFig.. 3. Pins'izlzini conjunction handle forms or reinforcing membersw 24'- until the container: IBS? is' formed conjointly with ythe` coatedhandles I, I'I.

1n using; the:` apparatnswshowmoeach eind;` of a y handlefreinfforcement i213' r-issfonssiedf. betweena oleireinforcements.'23,v 24: .actas .reinforcing coresf asa-wenas iorrns- 'for-fthefmubber: latex-tof bede-f havagbeenotreatedewitinthacgmmami the handle forms 23. 24 are coated with a deposit of rubber latex which coagulates thereon. The handles are surrounded with deposited rubber from the latex and the deposit builds up between the handles and sidewall of the container until the handle and sidewall are joined by a continuous layer of coagulated rubber.

The form I8 is removed from the rubber latex 26 and after the handles I6, I'I are pried from between pins 22, 22 the coagulated rubber container is stripped from the form I8. The only place where trimming is necessary is around the lip of the upper wall I5. The handles I6, I1 are integrally joined with the body of the container by the deposited rubber.

The properties of the finished container are unique. When the finished container is placed upon a nat surface, the upper portion of the sidewall stands up as shown in Fig. 1. When the container is filled with water or another liquid the outward pressure of the liquid against the lower'sidewall forces the lower sidewall upwardly and outwardly as shown in Fig. 2, and as a result of the lower sidewall taking such a position the upper sidewall becomes more nearly vertical as shown. Thus, the lower portion of the sidewall of the filled container arches upwardly and inwardly. The fluted reinforcements 28, 28 on the sidewall of the container I4 which are formed in flutes 2| of the form I8 lend vertical support to the sidewall when the empty container is placed on a flat surface. Of course, the upper portion I of the sidewall is also held in an upstanding position by the differences in diameters of the various zones of the upper and lower portions of the sidewall I3. When the container is lled with liquid and the lower sidewall is forced outwardly and upwardly as in Fig. 2, the upper portion of the sidewall remains upstanding because the reinforcements 26 tend to prevent the wall from collapsing either inwardly or outwardly. The Vconfiguration of the sidewall provides the self-supporting properties inherent therein, but the particular angles between upper and lower portions of the sidewall are not critical but may be varied considerably as long as the general configuration is retained as shown.

As is shown, the lower portion i2 lof the sidewall extends inwardly from the periphery of the' bottom member II both when the container is empty and when filled with liquid. Tension of the walls brought about by the pressure of the liquid in the container supports the lower portion I2 of the wall. The upper portion I5 of the sidewall extends outwardly from the lower portion I2 of the sidewall at all times.

The fluted reinforcements Z also act as pleats when the container I4 is filled with liquid. The reinforcements extend from below a marginal zone 29 of the upper portion I 5 of the sidewall I3 to above a marginal zone 3| of the lower portion l2 of the sidewall I3. The iiuted reinforcements 23 open as would a pleat when the container is filled with liquid; thus, the diameter of the sidewall I3, within which the reinforcements are located, increases while the diameters of the marginal zones 29, 3I tend to remain constant. As a result, the sidewall tends to straighten vertically because of the forces applied by the liquid held in the container. Now it is seen the iluted reinforcements 28, 28 have a dual purpose. First,

they give vertical support to `the sidewall both'- when the container is filled and when unfilled. Also, they allow an increase in diameter of the midsection -,of. the sidewall asa-result of their 4 opening as a pleat opens when the container is filled with liquid. `Further advantage lies in the improvement in appearance of the article.

The bottom of the container I4 is a conical shaped portion; thus, when the container I4 is placed on a flat surface, there is an excess of material at the bottom. This excess of material, although not sufficient to cause Wrinkling when the container is on a fiat supporting surface, is of great advantage when the filled container is picked up by the carrying handles. The bottom of the container then stretches out because of the weight of the liquid. The excess material in the bottom of the container allows considerable distortion of the configuration of the container with little likelihood or rupture of the bottom member or the sidewall. Since the bottom stretches rather easily because of the excess material, the liquid level in the container tends to drop a little when the container is picked up. As a result of the lower liquid level, the possibility of liquid splashing over the upper edge of the container is reduced. Although when the filled container is carried by grasping the handles, the

" configuration of the container is distorted by the weight of the material with which the container is filled, the container again assumes the shape shown in Fig. 2 when the lled container is placed upon a flat surface.

The wall thickness of the container should not be so thick that the container retains its molded shape permanently. Rather, it is best that the container may be distorted and even folded or rolled when empty. The greatest advantage of such a container is that it can be folded into a very small packet which may be placed in the pocket of an article of apparel or in a ladys pocketbook, or stored in the glove compartment of an automobile.

Water can be scooped up with such a container and carried for any distance. Both handles can be grasped in one hand for easy carrying. The container is well adapted for pouring since the handles may be moved toward each other to control the width of the pouring mouth of the container. By ydip forming the article as an integral unit, there are no seams to tear apart or become lled with accumulations of dirt. Since the container is flexible, it may 'be used to catch a liquid in relatively inaccessible places where metal containers cannot be inserted.

The material from which the sidewalls and bottom of the flexible container of this invention are formed may be any flexible, resilient, rubber-like material, whether natural or synthetic, and the container may be fabricated by any desired method, for example by cementing together sheets of rubber having the desired shape, although it is preferred to form the article by directl deposition of the rubber-like material from an aqueous dispersion such as latex upon the surface of a form of the desired shape, as for example by dipping the form in latex. The dipping bath may be any suitable latex or a solution or dispersion of rubber or rubber-like material. The handle reinforcements or forms may be metal, fiber, paper, rubber, fabric, a thermoplastic or any other suitable material.

This invention is especially useful in providing a foldable, portable container for water and other liquids or` a container to be used as a carrying bag for any article which will fit therein. A container made as herein described may be used by campers, bathers, tourists, gardeners, and oth- -ers. The container can be used as a wash basin.'L

foot basin, washtub for clothes, drinking dish for small animals, pail or as a bag for carrying bathing suits and towels.

Other advantages and uses of the finished product are apparent. While the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment in the example, it is not my intention to be limited thereto, for variations and modifications of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. t

I claim:

1. A readily collapsible liquid 'container comprising a iiexible bottom portion of rubber-like material, said bottom portion ibeingv incapable of maintaining its shape without support, a flexible lower sidewall portion extending inwardly from the periphery of said bottom portion and overlying the marginal area of said bottom portion. said lowerY sidewall portion being formed of rubber-like material and normally lying collapsed on said marginal area of said bottom portion when the empty container is supported on a at surface, and a flexible upper sidewall portion extending upwardly and outwardly from said lower -sidewall portion, said upper sidewall portion being formed of rubber-like material, said lower and upper sidewall portions being luted across the intersection thereof in a direction generally normal to said intersection, said fluting providing support for maintaining the upper sidewall portion in its upstanding position while permitting elastic deformation thereof.

2. A readily collapsible liquid container of ilexible elastic rubbery material, said container having a generally circular bottom portion normally biased to a. generally iiat conical shape with its apex directed downwardly, said bottom portion being incapable of maintaining its shape without support, a generally annular lower sidewall portion extending inwardly from the periphery of said bottom portion and overlying the marginal area. of said bottom portion, said lower sidewall portion normally lying collapsed on said marginal area of said bottom portion when the empty container is supported on a flat surface, an upper sidewall portion extending upwardly and outwardly from said lower sidewall portion and normally biased toward a downwardly directed conical section overlying the projected area of said lower sidewall portion, said lower and upper sidewall portions being uted across the intersection thereof in a direction generally normal to said intersection, said fluting providing support for maintaining said upper sidewall portion in its upstanding position while permitting elastic deformation thereof, and means for carrying said container secured to diametrically opposed regions of said upper sidewall portion. i VICTOR H. HASSELQUIST.

References Cited in thei-lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 669,343 Kepler Mar. 5, 1901A 963,494 Allen July 5, 1910 2,027,290 Reach Jan. 7, 1936 2,051,940 Cichester-Miles Aug. 25, 1936 2,100,576 Spanel Nov. 30, 1937 2,107,018 Wendes Feb. 1, 1938 2,185,093 Reynolds et al. Dec. 26, 1939 2,489,044 Mumford Nov. 22, 1949 

